Type-writing machine.



SUI. SMITH. TYPE WBITINGMAGHINE. AP PLIOATION FILM} JAN. 22, 1909. 953,184. Patented 31129, 1910.

as AHoz-ncg, I

. SKMW. r.

UNITED STATE$ PlhTElliT STEPHEN T. SMITH, 'OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNGR TO UNDEE'W'GGD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, 0E NE -N YORK, Ii. Y., A. CORPGRATION 0F NEUV JERSEY.

TYYE WRITIIQ'G MACHII'TE.

Application filed January 22, 1909. Serial No.

To all will)? it .ooncern: I

Be it known that I, S'rr rnnn "1, S ITH, a citizen of the lilillfid States, residing in qtt 'd i *l" -"i' ld d t minor 1n 1. re county or ran in an State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type- ;t'ollowing i.

Vi riting lilaehines, of which the a sgiiceitlcation.

This invention relates mechanism of revoluble of typeivriting machines.

it is customary to provide the ph linespace w reels ha ring teeth attervals to control ,the extent of spacing movement of the platen, so that the and effective line-spacing mechanism for this purpose, and especially one that. can be operated by the usual line-spacinglever, so that by the use of said lever the lines may be spaced at any desired intervals: such in tor-vols to be regulated by suitahie means from time to time to ctl'ect line 't riations in the linespacing intervals.

I have illustrated the invention in conneo tion with the Underwood front strike writing machine, in which the line-splicing lever is used for returning the carriage to begin the writing of a newline and l have interposed clutch mechanism between said line-spaoing lever and the revolnble platen, that permits fine variations to be efi'ected in the line-spao ing movements of the platen effected by said lever. Means are also provided for releasing the platen from the control of the clutch mechanism to permit the platen to he re tated by its'hond wheel in the usual manner, independently of the line-space mechanism. There is also provided a brake, which is constantly effective to prevent accidental rotation of the platen when released from the control of the clutch, and also to prevent overthrow of the platen at the completion of each lineepacing movement.

The releasing of the platen from the control of the clutch is preferably effected by a separate lever, which has means tolock the clutch inthc released condition, so that Specification of Letters Zatent.

EFotented him. 2%, Home.

the platen may be freely manipulated independently of the clutch for an indefinite time. e

The preferred form of clutch comprises 2% ball or other roll running a groove in wheel, which is fixed to the platen platen axle; a lever being mounted t" e platen axle. and eving olined to the periphery of said whe l, .rndia spring pressing the ball into the. hits of the coin and wheel. Said cam lever is eonnected to the above-mentioned carriage-returning lever, so that the carriage is returned and the cam operated by simple stroke of the hand of the operator. The cam lever is arrested by means of an adjustable screw stop, which may be turned to effect line Vnl'ltltlOllS in the extent of the movement imparted. to the plsten hythe cam lever, so that the operator is enabled carriage upon which said lever is usually mounted; the parts being shown in normal positions. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the platen frame and connected parts, shown at the completion of the line-spacing operation, that is, at the termination of the platen stroke;'the parts being arrested by the adjustable screw stop. is an elevation of the end of the platen, showing the brake device thereon; the platen axle in section. Fig. i is a plan, and Fig. 5 an clever tion of a slide corresponding to that usually employed in the Underwood, and here used to transmit movement from the carriagereturning lever to the clutch-lever. Fig. 6 is a sectional front elevation showing the platen, the brake and the line-spacing le-' positions; Fig. 8 is e perspective view or the clutch wheel. I Fig. 9 is a side elevation 12m surface in too of the clutch-lever and its appurtenances; the lever being shown for convenience in the Fig. 2 position; but the releasing lever being shown in efiective position to release the platen from the control of the clutch. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of the clutch-lever and clutch-wheel with the intervening roll, taken however from the opposite side from Fig. 2. Fig. 11 is a View similar to Fig. 10, the clutch-lever being shown for convenience in an upright posit on, but the clutch ball being shown as released to permit independent rotation of the platen. Fig. 12 shows in perspective the clutching-lever and clutchreleasing parts carried thereby.

The usual cylindrical platen 1 is fixed to an axle 2 having the usual hand wheel 3 journaled in ends 4 of a platen frame which also comprises a paper shelf 5. The platen is rotated line by line by means of the usual lever 6 fulcrumed at 7 upon the carriage 8 in which said platen frame is mounted, and employed to return the carriage to begin a new line of writing. This lever has an arm 9 which drives a slide 10 guided upon the platen frame end 4 for backward and forward movement. The slide 10 has a slot 11 to engage a wrist 12 projecting from the inner face of a lever 13, which is pivoted to turn freely about the axle 2; said lever fitted loosely upon the hub 14 of a wheel, collar or head 15, which is fixed to the platen axle by a pin or screw 16. The lever has a part overhanging the wheel, and is formed with a cam-surface 17 in such overhanging part, this cam surface directly opposed to the grooved periphery 18 of said wheel and ex tending tangentially or convergently toward said periphery; and a ball 19 is inserted be tween said cam-surface and the working surface or periphery of the wheel, and is pressed into the bite of the cam and wheel by means of a spring-finger 29 fixed at 21 to the lower end of the lever and carrying at its upper end. a projection 22 to engage the ball or roll. The spring 20 is normally efiective to cause the ball to be firmly held between the cam-lever and the wheel; so that when the cam-lever is turned backwardly by means of the lever 6 and slide 10, the wheel 15 is forced to turn with the cam-lever 13, accompanied by the'axle 2 and the platen 1, whereby the line-spacing movement of the latter is effected.

The line-spacing movement of the parts is limited by a stop in. the form of a thumb screw 23 threaded through a block 24 fixed upon the platen frame end, with the forward end of the screw in the path of a lug 25 formed upon the inner end of the slide 10. The screw may be turned in either directionto lengthen or shorten the line-spacing interval as much as may be required, so that evenly spaced ruled lines may be written upon without the necessity of rotating the platen by hand at the beginning of every inc, to cause the line of writing to fall accurately upon the line of ruling.

The device is also useful for, many other purposes where unifornr line-spacing is required at intervals disagreeing with the ordinary standards.

Upon relieving the carriage-returning lever 6 from pressure the slide 10 is returned to normal position by a spring 26 caught at one end upon a screw 27 provided in the platen frame end 4, and at the other end upon a screw 28 provided upon the slide 10. The levers 6 and 13 are also returned to normal position by the spring. Thus after setting the screw 23, it is only necessary to operate the lever 6 in the usual manner at the end of'every line of writing, in order to cause the writing to fall on the paper at the required line-spacing intervals without further attention from the operator.

The platen maybe advanced by either of the usual hand wheels 3, at any time, independently of the described line-spacing mechanism; but since the clutch is preferably always in effective position, the platen cannot be turned backwardly against the opposition of the clutch.

To permit the platen to be turned backwardly independently of the clutch, there is provided a clutch-releasing device, comprising a finger 29'adapted to engage the ball 19 on the opposite side from the spring 20, to press saidballout oithe bite of the cam 17 and wheel 15., as illustrated diagrammatically at Fig. 7, so that the'wheel 15 may be turned backwardly or forwardly independently of the cam-lever 13. This finger 29 may be carried upon a small slide 30 working in a groove 31 in the lever 13; and the slide may be operated by. a sub lever pivoted at 33 upon the main lever 13, and having a spring 34. whereby it is caused to return to normal ineffective position together with the slide 30, the latter having a pin 35 to engage a slot 36 in said lever 32.

To move the lever 32 with its connected finger 29 to the effective Fig. 11 position, there is pivoted at 37 upon the lever 13 a third lever 38 having a finger-piece 39. Connected to the lever 38 to turn therewith is a lug or projection 40 to bear against the lever 32 and press the same to the Fig. 9 position; the end of the lug radiating from the pivot and engaging the lever 32 in a manner to hold the latter locked in the Fig. i

transmit movement from the driver to the platen, said roll clutch comprising a wheel, a member having a surface inclined to said wheel, a roll fitting between said surface,

and said wheel, andmeans to release the platen troin the control of said clutch.

12. In a tvpewriting machine, the combination with a platen. of a driver having a third lever, also mounted on said cam lever, to operate the roll-releas ng lever. and hav- 1 ing means to lock the latter in roll-releasing position.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen having a Wheel or collar, of a lever mounted to turn about the axis of the wheel and having a cam surface inclined toward the periphery of the wheel,

a roll confined between the cam and the periphery of the Wheel, a spring to )ress the roll into the bit of the cam 311C Wheel,-

means to operate the lever, and a roll-releasiing lever mounted upon said cam lever;

said roll-releasing lever being connected to a finger to press the roll out of the bite of the wheel and cam in opposition to the tension of said spring.

lar. of a lever mounted to turn about the axis of the wheel and having a cam surface inclined toward the periphery of the wheel, a roll confined between the cam and the pe- -ripher v ot' the wheel. a spring to press the roll into the bite of the cam and wheel means to operate the lever, and a rollreleasmg lever mounted upon said cam lever.

14. In a typewrrtmg nan-lune, the combination with a platen having a wheel or -col- 9 lar, of a lever mounted to turn about the axis of the wheel and having a cam surface inclined toward the periphery of the wheel, a roll confined between the cam and the pcripheuv ot the wheel, a spring to press the roll into the bite of the cam and wheel,.

means to operate the lever, a roll-releasing or collar connected thereto, 01 a. lever llilVlllg lever mounted upon said cam lever, and a third lever, also mounted on said cam lever, to opereate the roll-releasing lever.

15. In a typewriting machine, the. combination with a platen having a wheel or collar, of a lever mounted to turn about the axis of the wheel and having a cam surface 17. In a typewriting machine. the combination with. a platen having a wheel or collar, or a lever mounted to turn about the axis of the wheel and having a cam'surface inclined toward the periphery of the Wheel, a roll confined between the cam and the periphery of the wheel, a spring to press the roll into the bite of the cam and wheel,

means to operate the lever, a roll-releasing lever mounted upon said cam lever, said rollreleasing lever being connected to a finger to press the roll out of the bite of the wheel and cam in opposition to the tension of said spring, and a spring to return said roll-releasing lover to normal position.

1.8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluhle platen and a wheel a cam and mounted to turn about the axis of the wheel, a roll. a spring pressing the inclined toward the periphery of the wheel, a roll confined between the cam and thc' periphery of the wheel, a spring to press the roll. into the bite of the cam and wheel,

means to operate the lever, a roll-releasing lever mounted upon said cam lever, and a roll into the bite of the cam and wheel, means for operating said lever to turn the platen by means of said wheel, roll and cam, and means both to return the lever to norinal position and to release the platen from the control of the lever.

' STEPHEN T. SMITH. Witnesses K. F RANKFOR'I, JOHN O. SEIFERT. 

